El Dorado Trail from Smithflat

El Dorado Trail from Smithflat is a 8.8 mile moderately trafficked out and back trail located near Placerville, California that features beautiful wild flowers and is good for all skill levels. The trail offers a number of activity options and is accessible year-round. Dogs are also able to use this trail but must be kept on leash.

To say that this trail is "#1 of 1 in Lumsden Park" is an extreme stretch. It's nowhere near Lumsden Park. The "directions" took me to a dead-end road where a school is, so I updated Google maps to Lumsden Park, which was on the opposite side of the freeway and is fairly small with very little parking, and there aren't even road signs to the park. I asked some locals at the park and they said the trail isn't in Lumsden, but since it's a long trail there are many places to park and join it. Since it took me an hour to drive to Placerville I was determined to find the El Dorado Trail. I finally drove around and parked on the corner of where Jacquier Rd turns into Smith Flat Road, which is at the beginning/end of the trail. I spent so much time trying to find it that by the time I did, I barely was able to walk the trail because it was over 90 degrees. I'll go back and walk it now that I know where it's at, but the wrong details and directions made it very frustrating.